POLO.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XII, 19 March 1904, Page 20

POLO.

THE SAVILE CtT. WON BY MANA W ATI’. The «ba m nior.ship matt ties vt the New Zealuud I nto A»***. ci a . ivu » annual tcaruameat were eoaduct-d last Hvek, Maim watu huaaa-.-xrly defeated Auckland in th<- final rouu! of the E-iviie <\p in.*.:chrs. t_e handicap tvuraauieut beii £ >*u!>equri.i'.y .d. A victory Ter Manaw; t.» was geucraHy anticipated, I t they u»re none ilk- less expected to have a tuu;,*b struggle f* r the covrtid cup. As it turned cut. they Lad no, >.• difficult a task, and at dm time iu the ga did they look like Mug. Men and poni- s were tvih truperior to Auckland's elect, and frciu tl*e jump the visitors had the meas..n of their opponents. The game was, 1 • wewr, interesting throughout. while x licit was acme exceedingly brilliant play <u Loth sid.<. the bop s oi? the Au<*klaud- * rs being battered several times before the score of the cui>-hoidcrs had put the issue Lvyc-nd doubt. An unfortunate accident ha llcr ed in the se.x d rpelL Walter Si’-ai.g having his o-.lar bone broken ns The r suit of n fa!!. McDonnell took J. Strang’s place nt full. and. the hit tor going up to No. 3. n».d even with t2i!s alteration there was u- failure in the combination of the team. Mnnawatu g< * the best of the throw-tn, W Strang rvsb.liig dvwn to the quarter, but initieHug his third drive. Lloyd started a return, but a stoppage resulted frotn n. broken girth. From the resump, ion of pHy. Manar atu • arried the ball to the line. Auckland being penalised f< r a bit behind. J. Strang followed up the hi: and notched a a»*a! within a »\>up!e of minutes of the <oe; me nee went of play. Allan Strang <r’ne through the threw in and carried the ball to the goal line, a force resulting. Lloyd inltiatid an attack from the Lit off, bnt A. Str;: ret irred. another behind resulting. I Icyd returned nicely, but A. Strang again got going and carried play back to the gt al. I.ioyd saving smartly twice. Fast play ensued un and down the field, but r.. '<tly iu Auckland's half. Tonks d« Ing some nice work. Abraham made a fine run from the Au»- land quarter, bur bls Aral drive !*« ked direction. Auckland were attacking for some time, and in a f« rirnmaee Lloyd wr.s within sn ace of . S:; _ U'« n ttraigbt f-r the goal, hut Lloyd nipped In and <av»- ’ lev rly. The opening of the tf-eoi. 1 sjw'.i wss marked by a behind. from u ‘- h k- m•’ a fine run up tbs field, hut the advantage was neutralised by a free bit. from which Abraham and A. Strang initiated an attack. Lloyd a rr»in *’ ped I style. The attack was n aintatned. and Baker tr. ? .... : a firn . W. Strang had ' front g‘a!. n« :g M.-uiawaf.i s second gcaL !• ' r; ! i‘y -I • ’v after AV. Strang s pony fell it turn! ig, and the rider’s collarbone was broken. ills place was taken t? M ’•- of the B team. On resuming. Manawatn were awarded a penalty, but Abraham failed w; T h the shot. After a liitie Ihosp play Auckland were forced. From the bk-iu Baker rot away wish -i run. but McDonnell saved, and asTim-- - t’..-. • ai. L Au-kland kept up tLe.’r attack r.t the oi :.Ina of the third «**E. • ’ fror.i n drive Tonks just v. i'< 1 the !.’■ J p 'sK. Another behind f’ ’.’cv-• ’ A Sr-::,g u de i fine hit-< tbe ball g' ~ of b--und« near midt. •!•■. Fr< the ’“<’-w-: r . T« : k> and Llovd !? itiated a b.ne rc , s wbkh resulted in S:.-anz :» t • • :.ed r■> A - - laud's goal from I'" j ' t f t b» hir’d M nawfttu bid e sh«>: a* goal, the ill g inc behind the ibic. Auckland .<_ • from f’.ie l-k-off. bnt J. Strang 1 •- nd. i ng run ing the Auckland nu n. hit thr* ugh. r.otch- - 1 w- T f - d t-i -.-v At the or !'.c of the f‘ :r*h sn*’! X Strum? ao* i - Lloyd, who. f f *be f ▼. St'.a- r then made « fine - for M ' in j-n.’ <■ vrr f- - f d fo’iouc- A-ckla. ’ t- a -t : e c f tbix- igh poor bitt, g Tot/.< ||| a p.i* away with a 1.. - driving —Hap. and drove th-- ball g Me! r- '- r ■ V. ■ •• •/; - - at goal ■ ' ' it a a : $ *’ u< ? ’ tin * ’ . fth ii ■ ■ AJ f■ : - - L i i I t tit sea i fart (--ay t■ <»k pl. t> . ■_ <e - " « ■ ~ 4 '-ra-je in front of A- \- l/i\' goal At •: put one through: ' ' A ’ i*: 1. 1 O’Rorke • .- r - «i> e f. - F T.e good w-r. r v fr n -*i *’« I ’ >ff. la- A. !i-rd ’matters • - v ’■■■ - - ' ~ ~ 3 •. ] ™.;. h J(,. n .-i-.a larvate ,n* Ai:eki»- -i « raa i. j n L ' ’ -. ' ’ ’ : 1- ! rjrrl.J !t d-'-rr Irin Abraham irrttinc np In time to <"r.ve the ,Hth -Oil SlctßiJhtrtr after A »•••». • another atu.k, h 2l'- ’ ' on. J. St.-anc notebinc ' — r -• A • • : . ' *srrea»ire ar.l forced Mana we tn. The ■t-' < i , iatlitwd. b't U># ,*>>(.« «- ,n n :■ !. art <~-k t!>e p'-y lnt<. heme 6 IS. ■ ' "<■ with tbo 3rote at . joal. to 1.

NOTES. The play of the winners was characterised by forceful, clean, hitting, backed up by excellent wmblnaUoß. As before stated. there was little interference with the latter after the accident to Walter StrsrcIndeed, it may be questioned whether this did not open up the piuie, for Jack Strang, v. hen moved up to No. 3, bad mure scope for his ability, and he is undoubtedly a letter three than his brother, while McDonnell. the substitute back did all tbftt was of him in workmanlike style. Kight through the game the hitting of‘the winners was wonderfully accurate, backhand, fore-hand, or screw hitting being n< cmplished with equal facility. J. Strang v .is the best of his side, hardly making a mistake all through, while he turned and g- t to the ball remarkably quick. Abraham played a rattling game for so young a 1 layer. He is only in his second * season, but he is already a fine free hitter, both as to force and direction. The Auckland men d'd not how the combination of their opponents. nor v. as their work of so even a character. Flashes there were as brilliant as anything on the Manawatu side, but the <l4 ormaiiies thus made were seldom taken fud ad»anta<je of. The side was greatly 1 •adleai ped by the relative Inferiority of Tlwir mounts, but this had nothing to do with the number of easy drives that were missed, or the opportunities that were lost. Lloyd was the pick of the bunch, being responsible for some excellent saving, while Ue met the bail in flue style and returned it continually. He nipped in several times and saved spH : did y when the ball was in the mouth of go«l. Tunis played a good game, but attempted too much; while Baker, v ho has not been in good health of late, was distinctly below par. O’Rorke. too. failed to show his best form. He did a lot of riding off. but frequently missed his diive. The winners have a fine lot of ponies, faster all round than those of the home team, and on the whole, more easily hsindkd. There was no disgrace in defeat at the hands of such a team.